Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide is threatening a showdown of multinational oil giant, Shell over alleged refusal by the oil company to publicly display the Environmental Impact assessment (EIA) report for the over N500 million naira BNAG project at oil rich Oloma community in Bonny local government of Rivers state.
Shell is said to have concluded plans to mobilize to camp on Tuesday, 2nd September 2014, but in a swift reaction the IYC has asked SPDC to jettison the idea of mobilizing to site without meeting the statutory demands and inquiries of the concerned stakeholders in Oloma community and its environs.
The situation became more complex following the refusal by SPDC and the subcontractor handling the Oloma BNAG project, Abbey Court Energy Services to honour Police invitation last Friday, 29th August, 2014 which was aimed at settling the dagger drawn.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ijaw Youth Council, Eastern zone, Comrade Peter Timothy Igbifa has urged Shell “to do the needful by adhering to the statutory provisions of GMou reached between the company and the community in carrying out any project.”
He stressed that as an advocate and pressure group of the ijaw people, IYC will ensure that the right things are done “no matter whose ox is gored.”
Speaking to newsmen, the Vice Chairman of Ijaw Youth Council, Eastern Zone Elders Consultative Forum, Warisenibo Prince MacPepple lamented the age long conduct of SPDC in Rivers state.
He said the elders and youths of Oloma community “have been frustrated by the impunity and conduct of SPDC officials and her subcontractors. Urgent intervention, which is to block both the company and the subcontractors from mobilizing to site without meeting the statutory demands and inquiries of the concerned stakeholders in Oloma community and its environs is needed.”
The youths and elders of the community are also accusing the oil giant and the subcontractor of complicity and corrupt practices in how various skilled workers have been employed and how the several vital contracts were awarded.
Meanwhile, the body in charge of employment in the area, Bonny Kingdom Employment Bureau (BKEB) has exonerated itself from any complicity in the saga, saying it is unaware of the list of those short-listed for employment at the project site.
Sunju Blue-Jack, Secretary of the Bonny Kingdom Employment Bureau claimed lack of knowledge on the employment activities at the site, and advised the collaborators of SPDC and Abbey court energy services ltd to put their employment activities on hold in order to prevent a likely breakdown of law and order in the kingdom.
Attempts by Dailypost to get SPDC and Abbey Court Energy services limited to state their side of the story proved abortive.
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